Textile apparatus



July 9, 1935. J. JABOULEY TEXTILE APPARATUS y 5- J. JABOULEY 2,007,397

' TEXTILE APPARATUS Filed Feb. '7, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Min-M55 July 9, 1935. J JABOULEY 2,007,397

TEXTILE APPARATUS Filed Feb. '7, 195 '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I a I I I l I h I I l g :1 i: 126 [P1126 124 126 1a4 a 75 c a. b C

, e 125 6 J12?) x i i d i 1 l :g lel 2 Patented .Fuly 5, 11935 PATENT Fr;

TEXTILE APPARATUS Joanny Jabouley, London, England, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1933, Serial No. 655,560

In Great Britain February 11, 1932 7 Claims.

This invention relates to circular looms, and is an improvement in the circular loom described in my U. S. Patent No. 1,822,292. The object of the invention is to provide improved means for '5 bringing to an end relative circular motion between the shuttle or shuttles of the circular loom and the warps in the event of jamming or breakage of the warps, so as to avoid the damage which would arise if the movement were allowed to continue.

One object of the invention is positivelyto ensure relative rotation between the weft-inserting means and the warps during weaving.

Further objects of the invention are to provide means for bringing the weft-inserting means into rotation with the warps and then bringing the loom to rest, and also means to prevent relative motion taking place until the loom has been brought to rest.

Another object resides in the provision of bandbrake means encircling one of the relatively rotatable members and adapted to connect said member firmly to the other member so as firmly and rapidly to bring to an end relative motion between them.

A still further object is to provide latch mechanisms under the control of the warp threads and themselves controlling a further latch mechanism by which relative motion between the members is interrupted.

By the provision of a double-latch mechanism, the first of these mechanisms, that is the one directly operated by the jammed or broken warps, may be made extremely sensitive so that detection of the trouble takes place with great rapidity. At the same time the second latch mechanism may be made of a powerful character so that clutching together of the shuttles and warps follows detection of the trouble very quickly. In consequence further damage to the warps is prevented not only by the trouble being quickly detected but also by the relative motion between the shuttles and the warps ceasing almost instantaneously. Thus instead of a. very slight warp trouble, such as the breaking of a single end, leading to the damage. of a large number of warp ends, the loom can bestopped before any further damage takes place and it becomes merely a matter of repairing the single end which has been broken, or in the case of a jam, releasing the troublesome warp threads, when the loom can again be started in motion.

The sensitive latch mechanism is actuated by a detector member situated at the front of the shuttle, this member being engaged by any jammed or broken warp threads to release the sensitive latch mechanism provided for that shuttle. In order to provide for no matter what part in the shed jamming or breakage of the warp threads takes place, the detector member engaged by the threads has its length over the full depth of the shuttle in the shed. A particularly sensitive form of detector member is described in my co-pending U. S. application S. No. 655,561 filed February '7, 1933.

The mechanism according to the invention may be applied to looms in which the shuttles rotate within sheds formed by the stationary or rotating warps, or in which the shuttles are stationary while the warps rotate. The invention is particularly useful in connection with circular looms having vertical axes and especially looms in which the weight of the shuttles acting within the shed serves to effect beat-up of the weft.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with respect to the latter class of loom, employing stationary shuttles, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that this description is given by way of example only and is no respect limitative.

Fig. Us a part sectional elevation of the loom;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of the loom;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the part corresponding to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing details of Figs. 1 and 2 to a larger scale;

Fig. 5 is a detailed elevation of a latch mechanism shown in plan in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 shown to a larger scale the gear shown in Fig. 1 for driving the take-up device, and

Fig. '7 is a semi-diagrammatic side elevation corresponding to Fig. 6.

The loom comprises a vertical frame I!) carrying at its upper end a spider H orlike support for a downwardly depending control shaft I2. Four warp beams l3 are carried by a. frame l4 mounted at the upper end of this shaft 12, the beams being geared together and provided with suitable braking means l5 to regulate the let-01f of the warps. Below the warp beams I3 is a horizontal ring l6 provided with a series of guide holes I! through which the warp threads pass. Still further down the shaft is a circular reed l8 and also a circular ring l9 whose upper edge is arranged at the level at which the weft is beaten up into the fabric 20. The fabric 20 proceeds from this ring in double form to a take-up device 2| which is mounted in a frame 22 rotatable by a vertical shaft 23 carried by the base plate 24 of the loom. The take-up device 2| is driven by a worm I2I on the lower extremity of a vertical shaft I22 which in turn is driven through a train of wheels I23. One of the wheels of the train I23 is in constant mesh with a normally stationary circular rack I24, to be described later, and by rotation of the frame 22, which carries the shaft I22 around the periphery of the rack I24, the drive is transmitted to the fabric take-up device 2 I. The rate of take-up may be adjusted by varying the ratio of the train of wheels I23. The shaft 23 is equipped with a hand wheel 284 by means of which the shaft may be rotated when effecting adjustments. This shaft 23 is connected by gearing 25 to the support I4 carrying the warp beams I3, a motor (not shown) being provided to effect rotation of these members.

The shaft I22 is supported at its upper end by one of a pair of brackets I26 carried bythe underside of the rotatable ring 64, the wheel a of the gear train I23 meshing with the normallystationary rack I24 and driving by means of intermediate gears b, c, d the gear e on the shaft I22 (see Fig. 6) as the shaft I22 is carried bodily round the loom by the rotation of the ring 64 and the frame 22.

The shuttles 26 are carried below the reed I8 with their lower edges 21 at the level of the upper edge of the ring I9 carried at the lower end of the central shaft I2. The shuttles 26 are held against rotation by means of vane wheels 28 carried on a series of shafts 29 mounted in bearings 38 carried by a rotatable but normally stationary ring 66 outside the warp circle. These wheels 28 enter recesses 3| in the shuttles 26 and, in conjunction with an inner race 32 engaging rollers 33 mounted on vertical axes in the shuttles 26, support the shuttles and limit their movement within the warps. The sheet of warps 34 passing over the inner face of the shuttles moves between the rollers 33 in the shuttles and the opposing race 32; the outer sheet of warps 35 is divided by the vanes of the vane wheels 28and so is enabled to pass the shuttles freely, notwithstanding the interposition of the vane wheels 28. A finger 286 bearing an extension 281 (Fig. 2) is adjusted so as to vibrate the warps to maintain even spacing and to assist in the proper presentation of the warp threads to the weft-inserting means. Such a finger is described in detail in U. S. application S. No. 655,559 filed February 7, 1933. The weft is carried by a spool 36 in a recess in the upper part of the shuttle, for example in the manner described in my co-pending U. S. application S. No. 655,558 filed February 7, 1933, and is led by suitable guides to a point at the rear end of the lower edge of the shuttle, so that it is led into the shed close to the fell 21 of the fabric 28, where it is beaten up by the succeeding shuttle.

The shedding may be effected in any suitable manner, as for example by individual healds operated by cams or other devices having dobby or jacquard mechanisms, or by healds working in sections, or by shedding arms of the type described in my earlier Patent No. 1,626,411. For the weaving of plain or comparatively plain fabric, however,- the reed itself may be arranged to effect shedding, such a reed being so arranged that some of the warp threads have restricted movement along the reed spaces while the remainder of the threads are permitted to have little or no movement. Such a reed is described in detail in said Patent No. 1,626,411. In the arrangement herein illustrated, discs 48 are arranged to press above the reed level, upon warp threads which are led through the reed I8 of the character above-mentioned, so that threads which are free to move in the reed are separated from those which are restricted. Thus, a shedding motion is commenced which can be completed by the shuttle entering between the separated warps and forcing them apart so that one sheet of warps slides along one side of the shuttle and the other sheet along the other side. Should shedding not take place properly, so causing a jam in front of any shuttle, or should a broken warp thread also produce a jam', the motion of the warp threads past the shuttle would result in the shuttle breaking a considerable number of the warps. A feeler member H is therefore provided on each shuttle, this member being connected to a rod 42 horizontally movable on the shuttle body, so that when the nose'encounters a warp jam it forces the rod beyond the rear of the shuttle and through the outer sheet of warps. A warp feeler device of this type is described in U. S. application S. No. 655,561 filed February 7, 1933 which shows a feeler member 4I connected to a substantally vertical member I4I which forms part of a horizontal push-rod 42 situated within the shuttle. A link I42 suspended from a point within the shuttle and adapted to bear at least part of the weight of the members H, I and I42, allows of great sensitivity of the system so that a slight pressure on the feeler H is transmitted to the push rod 42 substantially without loss due to friction. A light spring I43 fixed on the member I and hooked over the edge of the link I42 is adapted to urge the feeler 4| outwardly from the nose of the shuttle, but is not strong enough to offer undue resistance to repression of the feeler 4I.

Opposite the end of this rod there is mounted a light finger 43 carried on a vertical spindle 44 in such a manner that the tip of the finger is just clear of the warp. The vertical spindle 44 has at its lower end a latch 45 engaged and retained in position by the end of a further light finger 46, mounted on a vertical spindle 4I supported from an arch 68 which at its lower end is provided with a rod 48 connected by a strong spring 49 to a member I68 mounted on the ring 56 carrying the bearings 38 for the shafts 29 on which the shuttle-holding vane wheels are mounted. This spring 49 urges the two members 46, 46 of the latch mechanism together but is prevented by the latch mechanism from contracting until release takes place by a horizontal movement of the rod 42 carried by the shuttle 26. When, however, the latch mechanism 45, 46 is released the spring 49 pulls strongly on the rod 43 to which it is connected and causes the rod to contact with an abutment 52 mounted on a hoop 53 extending round the loom, there being one of these abutments 62 for each shuttle 26 and associated latch and spring mechanism.

Each spring 49 is strong enough to rotate the hoop 63 carrying the abutment 52 and cause the hoop 53 to move a catch 64 which is mounted at one end of a spindle 55, pivoted on the bearingcarrying ring 56, this spindle 55 having at its other end a lever 61 connected at 59 by a link 53 to the hoop 53. The catch 54 serves the purpose of releasing a second latch 68, which is normally hooked over and retained by an abutment 285 (see Fig. 5). The latch 68 is pivotally mounted at one end of a lever 6| fulcrumed at 82 and whose other end is connected at 62 to the free end of a brake band 63 which encircles a ring 64 rotating with the warps I3 and forming a cylindrical friction surface. The band 63 lies within a recess in the side of the ring 66 facing the ring 64 (see Fig. 4). The ring 64 carries a gear 65 (Figs. 1 and 4) which drives vertical shafts 66 whose upper portions are borne within casings I66 mounted on the ring 54. The drive is transmitted through bevels 61, 68 to the shafts .29 upon which the vane wheels are mounted.

The ring 64 is connected to the rotatable frame 22 of the loom by standards I64 by which the ring 64 is rotated at the same rate as the rotation of the warps. Vertical guide rollers H9, H9 suspended from an arm I56 of the member I66 are mounted between the ring 64 and the ring I9 and serve to maintain the course of the rings substantially concentric with the axis of the loom. vThe brake 63' is' urged towards contact with the ring 64 by a spring 69 secured to a ramp 16, but during normal running is restrained by the catch 66 on the lever 6I which is connected to the end of the brake at 62.

So long as the catch 66- prevents movement of the lever 6I, the lever holds the brake band 63 inoperative; when, however, the lever 6| is freed, the end of the band 63 connected to the lever is able to move to the right under the pull of the spring 69. The other end I62 of the band 63 is hooked behind the projection I63 of the plate 264 secured to the ring 56. Therefore, the pulling of one end of ,the band 63 by the spring 69 contracts the band firmly on to the ring 64.

Since the band 63 is connected at its ends to the ring 56 through the spring 69 and the plate 264, the gripping of the ring 64 by the band causes the ring 56 and the vane wheel shafts 29 carried thereby to be rotated solid with the ring 64. Accordingly, the shuttles 26 held by the vane wheels 28 on the shafts 29 are carried round the loom at the same speed as the warps. After cessation ofrelative motion between the two rings 56, 64, the shafts 66 are no longer driven and the vane wheels 26 stop rotating.

The spring 69 on the brake bandis adjustable at 12 and very powerful in action so that clutching together of the two members 64, 56 takes place very rapidly, there being frictional engagement with practically the whole circumference of-the ring 64. Since however the power required to release this spring 69 is obtained from the spring 49 which is released on operation of the first latch mechanism 45, 46, the first latch mechanism can be made very delicate and sensitive in operation.

A stop 14 engaging an abutment I14 on the plate I64 is provided, which ordinarily prevents rotation of the ring 56 carrying the shuttleholding shafts 29. On release of the brake band 63, this stop 14 is removed from the abutment I14 by the end of the lever 6I which carries the brake holding latch 66, engaging a projection I15 on the lever 15 fulcrumed at 266 and carrying the stop 14. A ramp 16 is provided on the ring 56 carrying the shuttle-holding shafts, which ramp ensures by its engagement with the projection I15 as the ring 56 commences its rotation that the stop 14 is not engaged by the end of the lever 6I carried by the ring 56. A spring 11 connected between one end of the lever 15 and the frame II6 urges the stop 14 into position to retain the shuttles stationary and the projection I15 into the line of action of the end of the lever 6I when that lever is released.

" In order to avoid damage to the mechanism should the lever 6I be re-set before the abutment I14 is in contact with the stop 14, the stop may be pivotally mounted at 16 on the lever 15 and urged into operative position by a spring 18 which enables the stop 14 to give under excessive pressure.

In order to re-set the brake band 63 to declutch the two rings 64, 56 for normal running, a lever 19 is provided on the loom frame which can be pushed into the path of the lever 6I carrying the brake-holding latch 66 so that by turning the loom round slightly the latch lever 6I can be forced back and the latch 66 re-engaged. A spring 66 normally holds the re-setting lever 19 in a position where it cannot be engaged accidentally by the catch lever 6I. The ring 56 carrying the vane wheel drive mechanism has an extended base 13 adapted to rest in the groove of a rotatable guide member I13, which is suspended from the outer fixed ring II6 mounted on supports III on the standards. I6 of the loom. On rotation of the ring 56 the rotatable-guide I13 serves to maintain the course of the ring 56 substantially concentric with the axis of the loom.

The ring 56 carries downwardly depending columns I65 bearing the circular rack I24, previously mentioned, around which the train of wheels I23 rotates in driving the fabric take-up mechanism 2|, as already described. In this manner the drive of the fabric take-up mechanism is stopped upon cessation of weaving, by reason of the relative motion between the'circular rack I24 and the shaft I22 ceasing. One of the columns I65 carries an abutment 266 which on commencement of rotation of the columns I65 is adapted to strike a member 26I of an electric switch 262 controlling the drive of the loom and attached to the underside of the outer fixed ring H6. The rotation of the loom therefore is brought to a stop within very short space of time after the stoppage of weaving. In order to re-start the loom the switch 262 is re-set by an upper control lever 263 extending above the fixed ring H6. 3

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A circular loom comprising relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, a clutch adapted to connect said members together, a latch mechanism, means under the control of the warp threads adapted to release said latch mechanism on breakage or jamming of the warp threads, and a further and more powerful latch mechanism adapted to be released by the first-named latch mechanism so as to put said clutch into engagement and bring the relative motion between said members to an end.

2. A circular loom comprising relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, a catch adapted to engage, and hold one of said members so as to ensure positive relative motion between that member and the other member, and means underthe control of the warp threads adapted to release said catch from said member so as to free the member and permit the relative motion between the members to come to an end.

3. A circular loom comprising relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, one ,of said members being normally stationary, a clutch adapted to connect said members together, a catch adapted to hold the one member positively stationary, and means under the control of the warp threads adapted to release said catch and to put said clutch into engagement on breakage or jamming of the warp threads so as to connect the stationary member to the other member.

4. A circular loom comprising relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, a cylindrical friction sur' face on one member, clutch means connected to the other member and surrounding said friction surface, and means under the control of the warp threads adapted to contract said clutch means on to the friction surface so as firmly to connect said members together by friction over substantially the whole length of the friction surface.

5. A circular loom comprising a plurality of weft inserting means, 'relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, a clutch adapted to connect said members together, a latch mechanism in connection with each weft inserting means, means under the control of the warp threads adapted to re lease the latch mechanism on breakage or jamming of the'warp threads in advance of a weft inserting means, a further latch mechanism adapted to hold said clutch out of action, and common means adapted to be actuated by any of the first-named latch mechanisms to release said further latch mechanisms so as to put said clutch into engagement and bring the relative motion between the said members to an end.

6. A circular loom comprising relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, one of said members being normally stationary, a clutch adapted to connect said members together, a catch adapted to hold the one member positively stationary, means under the control of the warp threads adapted to release said catch and to put said clutch into engagement on breakage or jammingof the warp threads so as to connect the stationary member to the other member, and means adapted to prevent re-engagement of the catch mechanism during rotation of the normal stationary member.

7. A circular loom comprising relatively rotatable members carrying the weft inserting means and warps respectively, one of said members being normally stationary, a clutch adapted to connect said members together, means under the control of the warp'threads adapted to put said clutch into engagemnet on breakage or jamming of the warp threads so as to connect the stationary member to the other member, and means adapted to bring the members automatically to rest after the normally stationary member has been caused to rotate.

JOANNY JABOULEY. 

